How Did Clothing Change Throughout The Industrial Revolution

Society is often changing and altering to meet the requirements of consumers. Our systematic approach to life is quite different from that of the classical times. With that being said, the usage of clothing is one of the most prominent examples of change. With technology has come discovery. With further discovery have come obstacles, obstacles that have paved the way for future development. Before the industrial revolution, the notion of mass production was generally unheard of. Because of this, clothing was less accessible and less fitting. Clothes typically ran large, resulting in an unflattering appearance among civilians. As mentioned in Source 1, “Coats, jackets, and undergarments were only available in predetermined sizes.” Most clothing was tailored by family members themselves. Source 2 mentions that the creation of fabric was “intricate and time-consuming to make.” However, because of the difficulty it arose, fabric became a meaningful commodity. The design process itself, however, was much more practical. Clothing has since the beginning of time served as a distinction between cultures, and many devised their own ways to create it. The Silk Road, for example, transported fine silk from China to other empires who were uninformed and underequipped to produce it.

In this period, mechanics were encouraged as produce became more plentiful. In the 1920s, both male and female ready-made clothing industries had emerged. Because of the efficiency of the machines in the industrial revolution, the economy faced a boost as sales increased greatly. According to source 1, “chain stores and mail order catalogs offered multiple ways to access new clotheds” The once before seemingly obsolete design process had become an “extension of the body” (Source 2) and truly resembled the shift in industry in the